It's been a week since I did the first big sowing indoors and out.
Out in the garden some mesclun seedlings have popped up (at least I think they're mesclun, they could always turn out to be weeds or grass but it looks good at this stage). The rocket sown indoors in a seed tray is also up.
In the tomato tray, I have three Green Zebra, four Roma, four San Marzano and two Watermouth up. No sign of the Russian Reds as yet though.....
And in the same seed tray, there's now two coriander, but alas no parsley.
I used those compartmentalised propagation trays - one seed per compartment, that way when/if the seedlings are ready to move out of the tray (either out into the garden or into an intermediate-stage pot) I can just lift the contents of each compartment out on a teaspoon and into its new home without any disturbance.
And not a peep out of the two courgette and two watermelon sitting in their own pots. I think I'll add a bit more water and cover them up to see if that gets them going.
28 September 2008
27 September 2008
Spring Onion
Allium fistolosum - "Ishikura" from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 10-25°, direct sow around 5 to 10cm apart and 1cm deep, takes 7 to 14 days to germinate, then 10 weeks to harvesting.
Last year I did this all wrong – transplanted them into a terracotta planter in the mini greenhouse. They were edible after 8 weeks but the stalks were only 10cm high then, and they should get to 45cm according to the Kings catalogue. After 12 weeks the bulb had gotten larger but the stems hadn't progressed upwards at all. Tasty though!
This year I've earmarked the spring onions to go in the area that had cover crops in. Successive sowings will be called for – maybe 3 or 4 each fortnight? I decided to start with half a dozen sown this morning.
Germinates in soil temperatures of 10-25°, direct sow around 5 to 10cm apart and 1cm deep, takes 7 to 14 days to germinate, then 10 weeks to harvesting.
Last year I did this all wrong – transplanted them into a terracotta planter in the mini greenhouse. They were edible after 8 weeks but the stalks were only 10cm high then, and they should get to 45cm according to the Kings catalogue. After 12 weeks the bulb had gotten larger but the stems hadn't progressed upwards at all. Tasty though!
This year I've earmarked the spring onions to go in the area that had cover crops in. Successive sowings will be called for – maybe 3 or 4 each fortnight? I decided to start with half a dozen sown this morning.
26 September 2008
We have more germination
Two of the Roma tomato and two of the San Marzano tomatoes are peeping up today, so that's five days from sowing.
In less welcome news, the snails keep hitting my purple sprouting broccoli. There's nary a snail to see by day, and even by night when I sneak out with a torch, but I'm quite keen to get my hands on them.
In less welcome news, the snails keep hitting my purple sprouting broccoli. There's nary a snail to see by day, and even by night when I sneak out with a torch, but I'm quite keen to get my hands on them.
Beetroot
Detroit Dark Red (organic) and Albino, both beta vulgaris var crassa from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 15-25°. Most of my books claim that beetroot transplants badly, but Kings have all their (non-organic) beetroot as transplant rather than direct sow, so who knows? I think I'll run with direct sow though. Soak the seeds in water overnight (which I'm doing tonight), then sow 2cm deep and 15cm apart with germination after 10 to 15 days. Harvest due at 55 days.
As they take a while, and you can't eat them all at once (although I'm eyeing them up to bottle as relish which will go nicely on burgers), I have to remember successive sowings every fortnight. However they do keep for several weeks out of the fridge or much longer in the fridge, so that's helpful.
Last year I wasn't very successful with the beetroot – I suddenly took a fancy to growing some in late Feb so did some direct sowing, and they did germinate but evidently weren't happy (not enough sun? not enough water? dodgy soil?) as they stayed in a perpetual seedling state with nothing going on under the ground. This year they'll be going in the primo spot in the garden in the hope they like that a bit better - this is the same bed as the spring onions, and the first sowings of both veges should be ready about the same time.
Germinates in soil temperatures of 15-25°. Most of my books claim that beetroot transplants badly, but Kings have all their (non-organic) beetroot as transplant rather than direct sow, so who knows? I think I'll run with direct sow though. Soak the seeds in water overnight (which I'm doing tonight), then sow 2cm deep and 15cm apart with germination after 10 to 15 days. Harvest due at 55 days.
As they take a while, and you can't eat them all at once (although I'm eyeing them up to bottle as relish which will go nicely on burgers), I have to remember successive sowings every fortnight. However they do keep for several weeks out of the fridge or much longer in the fridge, so that's helpful.
Last year I wasn't very successful with the beetroot – I suddenly took a fancy to growing some in late Feb so did some direct sowing, and they did germinate but evidently weren't happy (not enough sun? not enough water? dodgy soil?) as they stayed in a perpetual seedling state with nothing going on under the ground. This year they'll be going in the primo spot in the garden in the hope they like that a bit better - this is the same bed as the spring onions, and the first sowings of both veges should be ready about the same time.
23 September 2008
22 September 2008
Parsley and Coriander
A couple of herbs were sown yesterday:
* Parsley - "Italian Plain Leaf" Petroselinum hortense from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 15-25°, takes 14 to 21 days to germinate and will grow around 50cm high once transplanted outside spaced 30cm apart. It's an biennual so I'll have to think carefully about where to put it. I planted some of these on Sunday.
* Coriander - "Indian Summer" Coriandrum sativum from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 15-25°, direct sow 5cm apart, takes 7 to 10 days to germinate and will grow around 30cm high. It's an annual, but will proliferate all by itself next year if you let it go to seed.
I did grow one of these indoors last year. We don't use that much coriander, but I'm keen to have one indoors and one outdoors just to see the difference. I also sowed these on Sunday – completely forgetting to sow either in their final pots or in eggcarton compartments (which can be transferred straight into the ground outside), so I guess I'll be transplanting and seeing how they go.
* Parsley - "Italian Plain Leaf" Petroselinum hortense from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 15-25°, takes 14 to 21 days to germinate and will grow around 50cm high once transplanted outside spaced 30cm apart. It's an biennual so I'll have to think carefully about where to put it. I planted some of these on Sunday.
* Coriander - "Indian Summer" Coriandrum sativum from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 15-25°, direct sow 5cm apart, takes 7 to 10 days to germinate and will grow around 30cm high. It's an annual, but will proliferate all by itself next year if you let it go to seed.
I did grow one of these indoors last year. We don't use that much coriander, but I'm keen to have one indoors and one outdoors just to see the difference. I also sowed these on Sunday – completely forgetting to sow either in their final pots or in eggcarton compartments (which can be transferred straight into the ground outside), so I guess I'll be transplanting and seeing how they go.
Watermelon
Souters from Koanga
I haven't got much of a clue about watermelon, so this will be a bit of an experiment. These ones are similar to sugar baby, only need soil temperatures of around 15° and should be planted out around 50cm apart according to Koanga. Yesterday I sowed these straight into pots rather than seedraising trays, and will transfer them into the ground once they are established. Watermelon generally take 5 to 12 days to germinate, then 10 to 12 weeks to mature, need at least a metre's space, and I assume you only end up with a few watermelon per vine?
I don't have that much space available, so I'll be trying two vines, one in the slightly shady corner, and another in the sun near the lemon tree.
I haven't got much of a clue about watermelon, so this will be a bit of an experiment. These ones are similar to sugar baby, only need soil temperatures of around 15° and should be planted out around 50cm apart according to Koanga. Yesterday I sowed these straight into pots rather than seedraising trays, and will transfer them into the ground once they are established. Watermelon generally take 5 to 12 days to germinate, then 10 to 12 weeks to mature, need at least a metre's space, and I assume you only end up with a few watermelon per vine?
I don't have that much space available, so I'll be trying two vines, one in the slightly shady corner, and another in the sun near the lemon tree.
21 September 2008
Courgette
Black Beauty – curcubita pepo from Kings Seeds, organic
Germinates in soil temperatures of 20-25°. They're big seeds, so sow 2cm deep and they take 5 to 12 days to germinate. Last year I found they grew really quickly, so I've put the seeds straight into pots rather than in a seedraising tray, and will try and get them transplanted from there into the ground as soon as possible. The plants will snake along the ground, and need to be given around a metre's room to move. I had my first courgette a month from transplanting last year, but they were actually sown 7 weeks (!) earlier which brings to the total time up to around the more usual 12 weeks from sowing.
I'll be sowing a couple of plants now, then maybe another couple in December. If this summer's conditions are as suitable as last year this will probably still supply far too many!
Once planted, keeping the powdery mildew to a minimum proved tricky last year given Auckland's humidity. Now I know to be very careful to water in the mornings and make sure the leaves stay as dry as possible.
Germinates in soil temperatures of 20-25°. They're big seeds, so sow 2cm deep and they take 5 to 12 days to germinate. Last year I found they grew really quickly, so I've put the seeds straight into pots rather than in a seedraising tray, and will try and get them transplanted from there into the ground as soon as possible. The plants will snake along the ground, and need to be given around a metre's room to move. I had my first courgette a month from transplanting last year, but they were actually sown 7 weeks (!) earlier which brings to the total time up to around the more usual 12 weeks from sowing.
I'll be sowing a couple of plants now, then maybe another couple in December. If this summer's conditions are as suitable as last year this will probably still supply far too many!
Once planted, keeping the powdery mildew to a minimum proved tricky last year given Auckland's humidity. Now I know to be very careful to water in the mornings and make sure the leaves stay as dry as possible.
Photocall - spring growth
The first strawberry flower was open this morning. There's a close-up below:
You can now tell that the lone broccoli plant will indeed be purple, even if it's not apparent yet that it is actually broccoli:
And lastly, the garlic is halfway through its six-month growing cycle and appears to be doing well, from up above the ground anyway!
Tomato
I only plant heirloom varieties of tomatoes, organic if possible. This year I'm planting:
* Watermouth - an organic meaty salad tomato from Koanga
* Roma - organic for saucing from Kings Seeds
* San Marzano - also an organic variety from Kings Seeds, good for eating or paste/puree)
* Green Zebra - organic preservation pack from Koanga. Just because it's stripey (I also wanted Tigerella so I had both green and red but everyone seemed to be out of stock when I did my ordering – will have to check again)
* Russian Red – one from Koanga that I also planted last year and were a tasty all-purpose tomato.
Tomatoes all need to be started indoors, taking up to 14 days to germinate, then transplanted outside once the seedlings look sturdy. The Watermouth can be transplanted when soil temperatures reach 15°, which is a little ahead of the others which prefer 20° or more (I should really buy a thermometer). They will all need staking (last year I grew a cherry variety that supposedly didn't, but that got a little chaotic), and need to be around 50cm apart. The second I see the first fruit starting to turn the nets will be flung over to keep the birds off – I was so proud last year when my very first tomato ever starting turning, and for the next couple of days it got redder and redder and I got prouder and prouder and then mere hours before the designated harvest moment it ended up as bird food. I nearly cried.
Good companion plants for tomatoes are basil, chives and parsley (I should have all these dotted about), also onion and asparagus. Broccoli, cabbage and potatoes should stay away.
Watermouth is a wait and see.
Roma is determinate, 70 days, and 100cm high – I guess it's more efficient to plant, harvest and sauce all at once, although I may well do a backup sowing too!
San Marzano is indeterminate 80 days and 200cm high
Green Zebra is indeterminate 75 days and 200cm high (according to Kings, and I imagine the Koanga version should be much the same)
Russian Red is determinate and took around 80 days last year (I mucked around and didn't transplant them until the beginning of November). These definitely did better if you can save them from the birds until they are red, rather than picking early and leaving to ripen. They got around 100cm high.
San Marzano and Green Zebra are both taller, so the Green Zebra can go along the back fence and the San Marzano in the bed opposite near the lemonade tree. The Roma can go in front of the Green Zebra, and if it works out right I could whip out those plants once harvested and have time to put a second batch in – and both these varieties should be ready slightly before the others, all things being equal. The Watermouth and the Russian Red can go in the opposite bed curving past the lemon tree round into the "sticky-out bit". None of these areas were planted at all last year, but had compost dug in in autumn and the "sticky-out bit" also had phacelia, now dug in, over winter.
I'm aiming for 3 plants of the Green Zebra and the Roma, and 2 each of the San Marzano, Watermouth and Russian Red, and the seeds were sown this morning.
* Watermouth - an organic meaty salad tomato from Koanga
* Roma - organic for saucing from Kings Seeds
* San Marzano - also an organic variety from Kings Seeds, good for eating or paste/puree)
* Green Zebra - organic preservation pack from Koanga. Just because it's stripey (I also wanted Tigerella so I had both green and red but everyone seemed to be out of stock when I did my ordering – will have to check again)
* Russian Red – one from Koanga that I also planted last year and were a tasty all-purpose tomato.
Tomatoes all need to be started indoors, taking up to 14 days to germinate, then transplanted outside once the seedlings look sturdy. The Watermouth can be transplanted when soil temperatures reach 15°, which is a little ahead of the others which prefer 20° or more (I should really buy a thermometer). They will all need staking (last year I grew a cherry variety that supposedly didn't, but that got a little chaotic), and need to be around 50cm apart. The second I see the first fruit starting to turn the nets will be flung over to keep the birds off – I was so proud last year when my very first tomato ever starting turning, and for the next couple of days it got redder and redder and I got prouder and prouder and then mere hours before the designated harvest moment it ended up as bird food. I nearly cried.
Good companion plants for tomatoes are basil, chives and parsley (I should have all these dotted about), also onion and asparagus. Broccoli, cabbage and potatoes should stay away.
Watermouth is a wait and see.
Roma is determinate, 70 days, and 100cm high – I guess it's more efficient to plant, harvest and sauce all at once, although I may well do a backup sowing too!
San Marzano is indeterminate 80 days and 200cm high
Green Zebra is indeterminate 75 days and 200cm high (according to Kings, and I imagine the Koanga version should be much the same)
Russian Red is determinate and took around 80 days last year (I mucked around and didn't transplant them until the beginning of November). These definitely did better if you can save them from the birds until they are red, rather than picking early and leaving to ripen. They got around 100cm high.
San Marzano and Green Zebra are both taller, so the Green Zebra can go along the back fence and the San Marzano in the bed opposite near the lemonade tree. The Roma can go in front of the Green Zebra, and if it works out right I could whip out those plants once harvested and have time to put a second batch in – and both these varieties should be ready slightly before the others, all things being equal. The Watermouth and the Russian Red can go in the opposite bed curving past the lemon tree round into the "sticky-out bit". None of these areas were planted at all last year, but had compost dug in in autumn and the "sticky-out bit" also had phacelia, now dug in, over winter.
I'm aiming for 3 plants of the Green Zebra and the Roma, and 2 each of the San Marzano, Watermouth and Russian Red, and the seeds were sown this morning.
20 September 2008
Signs of life
Today I spotted the first sign of some flowers on the strawberry plants in one of the planters - little white petals peeking through the green.
I also sowed the onion seed (straightforward) and mesclun seed which wasn't quite so orderly - staring at the pile of seed, staring at the bed, abandoning any pretence of sowing neatly at 5cm apart, scattering over the approximate area, then waving the hoe through it all to hopefully bury the seeds a bit!
I also sowed the onion seed (straightforward) and mesclun seed which wasn't quite so orderly - staring at the pile of seed, staring at the bed, abandoning any pretence of sowing neatly at 5cm apart, scattering over the approximate area, then waving the hoe through it all to hopefully bury the seeds a bit!
Mesclun
This one's an organic mix from Kings Seeds.
Germinates in soil temperatures of 12-20°, direct sow 5cm apart (and i'm guessing quite shallow), takes 6 to 8 days to germinate. From there, I guess we see what happens! I imagine it's pretty variable depending on exact mix and exact conditions.
I'll be popping these in the BBQ patch, as it's convenient to pop out and harvest from there.
Germinates in soil temperatures of 12-20°, direct sow 5cm apart (and i'm guessing quite shallow), takes 6 to 8 days to germinate. From there, I guess we see what happens! I imagine it's pretty variable depending on exact mix and exact conditions.
I'll be popping these in the BBQ patch, as it's convenient to pop out and harvest from there.
14 September 2008
Onion
Allium cepa, Stuttgart Long Keeper from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 10-25°, direct sow 15cm apart and 2cm deep, takes 10 to 14 days to germinate, then 26 weeks to harvesting – so I must get these in the ground ASAP by the end of September, and it's too late now to do two sowings which would otherwise have been a nice idea. Apparently they want a long cool spring period to maximise the top growth before the bulbs start to swell in summer.
Onions need a well-composted sunny spot with good air circulation as they are prone to fungal diseases in damp conditions. On the companion planting front, they are good with strawberries and lettuce (and beneficial for carrots), but bad with peas and beans.
At harvest time the leaves should yellow and die down, after which the bulbs can be carefully lifted out with a fork (important to avoid bruising) in a dry breezy period and left to dry on a wire rack in the sun for a couple of days. The necks have to thoroughly dry out (up to two weeks) before storing.
While I grew some spring onions last year, onions themselves will be a new experiment this year. The Stuttgart Long Keeper is an heirloom variety, and I intend to plant a long row in the long triangular stretch (maybe 3 metres long) leading up to the lemon tree shown in my post of 31 August. I did compost this spot in autumn, so hopefully it'll prove to be suitable soil (nothing's ever been grown in it except weeds).
Germinates in soil temperatures of 10-25°, direct sow 15cm apart and 2cm deep, takes 10 to 14 days to germinate, then 26 weeks to harvesting – so I must get these in the ground ASAP by the end of September, and it's too late now to do two sowings which would otherwise have been a nice idea. Apparently they want a long cool spring period to maximise the top growth before the bulbs start to swell in summer.
Onions need a well-composted sunny spot with good air circulation as they are prone to fungal diseases in damp conditions. On the companion planting front, they are good with strawberries and lettuce (and beneficial for carrots), but bad with peas and beans.
At harvest time the leaves should yellow and die down, after which the bulbs can be carefully lifted out with a fork (important to avoid bruising) in a dry breezy period and left to dry on a wire rack in the sun for a couple of days. The necks have to thoroughly dry out (up to two weeks) before storing.
While I grew some spring onions last year, onions themselves will be a new experiment this year. The Stuttgart Long Keeper is an heirloom variety, and I intend to plant a long row in the long triangular stretch (maybe 3 metres long) leading up to the lemon tree shown in my post of 31 August. I did compost this spot in autumn, so hopefully it'll prove to be suitable soil (nothing's ever been grown in it except weeds).
13 September 2008
Rocket
Eruca Sativa, organic from Kings Seeds
Germinates in soil temperatures of 7-25°, sow 1cm deep, takes 7 to 10 days to germinate, transplant allowing 5cm between each plant (although I have found another reference which says 15cm – I'll go with Kings version though). Matures “quickly” - however long that will turn out to be!
General rules for salad leaves will apply, so rocket will like things cool (yet sunny according to Organic Gardening for New Zealand Gardeners), will bolt easily if it's too hot or dry, and should be kept weed-free. Companion plants for lettuce should also be applicable I would think, which would mean carrots, radish, cucumber and strawberries. The latter is the only thing I'm growing, so maybe I will try some rocket in the unoccupied half of the strawberry planter, and the main spot in the garden I had tentatively flagged for rocket is the same bed as the leftover strawberry plants so that's convenient.
Last year I tried to direct sow two rows under the orange tree in early January – over the height of summer this area gets dappled sunlight so is cooler than the rest of the garden. Obviously this wasn't entirely successful, a few did germinate but Bugsy dug it up! Then at the end of January I sowed a tray of it indoors, which germinated in two days but never got thinned out or transplanted. Not a good result for rocket, all in all, do you think actually being able to eat some rocket is an attainable goal this year?
Rocket is a good one for me to try and remember successive sowings, a concept that escaped me entirely last year! So I'll go for a row running alongside the strawberries, planted front to back (since the back will probably still be completely shaded by the time the first few plants go in), a few plants each month. I will have to pop out and measure, but it's probably a 75cm stretch.
Germinates in soil temperatures of 7-25°, sow 1cm deep, takes 7 to 10 days to germinate, transplant allowing 5cm between each plant (although I have found another reference which says 15cm – I'll go with Kings version though). Matures “quickly” - however long that will turn out to be!
General rules for salad leaves will apply, so rocket will like things cool (yet sunny according to Organic Gardening for New Zealand Gardeners), will bolt easily if it's too hot or dry, and should be kept weed-free. Companion plants for lettuce should also be applicable I would think, which would mean carrots, radish, cucumber and strawberries. The latter is the only thing I'm growing, so maybe I will try some rocket in the unoccupied half of the strawberry planter, and the main spot in the garden I had tentatively flagged for rocket is the same bed as the leftover strawberry plants so that's convenient.
Last year I tried to direct sow two rows under the orange tree in early January – over the height of summer this area gets dappled sunlight so is cooler than the rest of the garden. Obviously this wasn't entirely successful, a few did germinate but Bugsy dug it up! Then at the end of January I sowed a tray of it indoors, which germinated in two days but never got thinned out or transplanted. Not a good result for rocket, all in all, do you think actually being able to eat some rocket is an attainable goal this year?
Rocket is a good one for me to try and remember successive sowings, a concept that escaped me entirely last year! So I'll go for a row running alongside the strawberries, planted front to back (since the back will probably still be completely shaded by the time the first few plants go in), a few plants each month. I will have to pop out and measure, but it's probably a 75cm stretch.
Spring planting
No, I haven't done any yet.
Yes, I sat down with the seed catalogues from Kings Seeds and Koanga Gardens and ordered everything at the beginning of August. And I even sat down and made a list of all the seeds I then had, grouping them by how soon I can plant them - so I know exactly what's good to go now that it's "early spring". Is that a little too organised?
But I keep putting off actually committing and putting the seed into the seed raising mix, on the grounds that it doesn't seem quite warm enough yet, and I don't have a hot water cupboard to start them off all nice and toasty. Also I was going to be away for the next few days at a conference, so I didn't want to plant anything right before then and risk missing the germination action. Those excuses seem a little lame now though.
But I did want to summarise the key info on each crop I was planting, so I could refer to it as things progressed. You may have noticed I haven't done that yet, but I'm going to make a start this evening, honest!
Yes, I sat down with the seed catalogues from Kings Seeds and Koanga Gardens and ordered everything at the beginning of August. And I even sat down and made a list of all the seeds I then had, grouping them by how soon I can plant them - so I know exactly what's good to go now that it's "early spring". Is that a little too organised?
But I keep putting off actually committing and putting the seed into the seed raising mix, on the grounds that it doesn't seem quite warm enough yet, and I don't have a hot water cupboard to start them off all nice and toasty. Also I was going to be away for the next few days at a conference, so I didn't want to plant anything right before then and risk missing the germination action. Those excuses seem a little lame now though.
But I did want to summarise the key info on each crop I was planting, so I could refer to it as things progressed. You may have noticed I haven't done that yet, but I'm going to make a start this evening, honest!
07 September 2008
Digging in
Yesterday the phacelia was all dug into the ground. This was hard work - at least, it looked like hard work from where I was sitting, admiring it being done! We decided that next year I should do a better job of keeping it away from the edges of the beds - the brick edging is concreted in, and it slopes into the beds themselves, which makes it imposssible to dig close to the edges.
I did contribute as well, hoeing a few of the other beds and ripping out a lot of the weeds that were thriving in the greenhouse (the mini propagating house from Edenlite that is plonked down the end of the garden, and much loved by Bugsy as a good spot to watch birds from - she'll need it now that her phacelia forest is gone).
I did contribute as well, hoeing a few of the other beds and ripping out a lot of the weeds that were thriving in the greenhouse (the mini propagating house from Edenlite that is plonked down the end of the garden, and much loved by Bugsy as a good spot to watch birds from - she'll need it now that her phacelia forest is gone).
04 September 2008
Litter box
What's wrong with this picture? (Apart from the fact there were originally four strawberry plants in there and the two in the foreground have already died)
Apparently, square planter boxes look too much like kitty litter boxes, even if they are 20 cm high and painted dark green! I don't fancy the chances of the poor plant on the right that's been pretty much buried, even if it has now been well fertilized. I guess I should have gotten around to mulching sooner, maybe that would have stopped whichever cat it was (not Bugsy, she never learned how to bury the evidence with a nice neat pile but she did decide to be in the photo for some reason).
Apparently, square planter boxes look too much like kitty litter boxes, even if they are 20 cm high and painted dark green! I don't fancy the chances of the poor plant on the right that's been pretty much buried, even if it has now been well fertilized. I guess I should have gotten around to mulching sooner, maybe that would have stopped whichever cat it was (not Bugsy, she never learned how to bury the evidence with a nice neat pile but she did decide to be in the photo for some reason).
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